Expert Report

The Boiler Company

Careful planning - problem-free operation

Dipl.-Ing. Paul Köberlein, LOOS INTERNATIONAL

Avoidable loads on shell steam boiler systems

Steam boiler systems are subject to various types of
loading which can lead to varying degrees of stress on the
boiler body. In addition to inadequate water quality, two
main factors are of essential importance: the effects of
design and settings and the effects of consumers. The
following article describes the avoidable loads on boiler
systems and provides the reader with an insight into the
proper planning, construction and setting of systems
right through to operation of the plants.

Figure 1: LOOS INTERNATIONAL shell boilers in an industrial company

Saturated steam is used today as a heat-
carrying medium in many different
commercial and industrial companies in
every sector of industry. In the food and
beverage industry, heating, boiling and
cleaning processes are supported, the
textile industry uses the heat medium
primarily for the further processing and
finishing of fabrics, laundries and dry
cleaners heat up washing machines or
use the steam for smoothing and drying
processes. In hospitals, ultra-pure steam
is used to sterilise operating equipment,
and steam supplies the adjoining large-
scale kitchens or is used for
humidification of the air conditioning
system. The building materials industry
needs saturated steam for many process,
heating and drying procedures, such as
the autoclaving of sand-limestone
bricks. And in many other sectors, such
Figure 2: Consequences of inadequate hardness monitoring
as the paper and packaging industry, the
chemical industry, pharmaceuticals and
many more, steam is essential as a heat
medium.
Most of these steam applications require
saturated steam or slightly superheated
steam with outputs of up to 200 t/h,
pressures up to 30 bar and steam
temperatures up to 300 °C. For
generating steam, one or more gas- or
oil-fired steam boilers designed as shell
boilers are generally used (Figure 1). In
comparison to water tube boiler systems
these are by far the better alternative, in
the relevant performance range, because
they are cheaper to buy and to run.
Operating modern shell steam boiler
systems is regarded as unproblematic
nowadays. Nonetheless, these boilers are
often subject to a series of actually
avoidable problems which have a major
influence on the safety and working life
of these energy generators. In addition
to inadequate water quality, two main
factors are of essential importance: the
effects of design and settings and the
effects of consumers.
1. Inadequate water quality
Inadequate water quality, resulting in
corrosion or the formation of deposits,
is top of the list in the damage statistics.
The results of this type of damage are
generally known in the industry, and will
therefore not be discussed in greater
detail in this specialist report. "Poor"
water quality is often caused by any or all
of the following:
· insufficient monitoring or testing of
the necessary water parameters
(Figure 2)
· lack of expertise
· misinterpretation of measured values
or no reaction in the event of
deviations
To avoid damage resulting from
insufficient water quality, first of all,
compliance with the water values
specified by the boiler manufacturer
(according to EN 12953 Part 10) is
essential. In addition to using suitable
water treatment components, attention
must also be paid here to ensuring
sufficient competence in the field of
water analysis. It is recommended that
fully automated analysis devices are
installed, which will record and monitor
all water parameters such as hardness,
conductivity, pH and condensate purity
Figure 3: Modern LOOS INTERNATIONAL steam boiler system with fully automated water analysis and monitoring
(Figure 3). See Specialist Report "LOOS
WATER ANALYSER LWA".
2. Effects of design and settings
2.1 Boiler output too high in relation to
the steam output actually needed
This problem is often to be found in
systems in which the steam
consumption has been dramatically
reduced through the loss of consumers
or the subsequent use of any heat
recovery potential that is available. But
new systems can also be affected if,
during planning, the simultaneity factors
of the consumers were incorrectly
evaluated or were calculated with
excessively generous output reserves.
The consequence of a steam take-off
that is too low in relation to the boiler
output is frequent switching on and off
of the burner. This causes temperature
changes that can be extreme, especially
in the case of gas-fired boiler systems
and long prepurging times.
Burners create temperatures between
1,400 and 1.700°C in the furnace.
During the furnace prepurging phase,
which is prescribed before each burner
ignition process, fresh air is taken in
from the boiler house. The low air
temperatures of 20-30°C cause the
previously hot heating surfaces to cool
down. After this, the burner ignites and
is generally quickly given the signal to
move to the highest load level. In
extreme low-load phases, it is very often
switched off again whilst it is still
starting up and then - often too soon
afterwards - prepurged and ignited
again.
The stress caused by the constant
temperature changes during heating up
and ventilation causes differences in the
rate of expansion between the furnace
and the boiler shell, which can lead to
material fatigue over the course of time.
In addition to increasing the system's
susceptibility to damage, this operating
system also has a negative effect on
economic efficiency, since every
preventilation process causes a
considerable loss of heat.
For this reason, burner switching cycles
of £ 4 per hour should be aimed at.
To achieve this, the following steps are
recommended
· the installation of low-load controls
which delay the immediate adjusting
up after the burner start
· the use of output controllers which
enable the burner to be left in the low-
load position for an unlimited period
of time
Figure 4: Diagram of heat removal at the heating surfaces under load through the formation of
bubbles
· the use of burners with a high
regulating range
· the modification of the burner
capacity to actual requirements (i.e.
burner modification or the provision
of a burner with a smaller output
range)
2.2 Insufficient pressure difference
between burner switch-on and burner
switch-off
As is already known, the performance
of the steam boiler is regulated via the
steam pressure measured in the boiler. If
the level falls below the adjustable steam
pressure PBurner.on the burner is switched
on if PBurner.off is exceeded, the burner is
switched off.
If the spread between PBurner.on and PBurner.off
is set too low, the consequences will be
as follows:
· Frequent switching on and off
caused by overshooting of the
pressure and thus to the temperature
change stresses described in 2.1, with
their negative consequences
· Mandatory “strict” regulation
parameters in the output controller in
order to keep the setpoint value in a
tight regulation range. The result, in
addition to excessive wear on the
control elements in the burner, is
premature material fatigue of the
heated walls (see also 2.3)
Experience has shown that with a set
spread of 10 to 15% between PBurner.on and
PBurner.off (depending on the burner
regulation and burner operating
pressure) in relation to the boiler
safeguard pressure, this problem can be
reliably avoided.
2.3 Output controller set too "fast”
Modern burner managers are able to
variably specify the burner actuating
time, i.e. the running time between the
burner low load and high load position.
At the same time, the reaction speed of
the burner to setpoint value deviations
can be influenced via the regulation
parameters in the output controller. A
shell boiler, with its high proportion of
material and high water content, is a
comparatively slow reacting system.
Output controller that are set too "fast",
possibly in combination with very short
burner actuating times, lead to a rapidly
rising heat entry in the flame tube. On
the water side, this heat entry is removed
primarily by steam bubbles which form
and rise in the steam area (Figure 4).
However, these steam bubbles form
after a certain time delay. This causes
brief local overheating and additional
temperature change stresses, which in
the long term speed up the process of
material fatigue in the area of the heated
boiler walls.
It is strongly recommended that
commissioning is carried out by
specialist staff, who will then set the
burners and regulating systems.
2.4 Lack of sequence control concept in
multiboiler systems
If multiboiler systems are not fitted with
an automatic sequence control, the
operating team has a major role to play.
The members of the team must switch
off boilers if the power take-off no
longer justifies the operation of several
boilers. If this does not happen, the
consequences are as shown in diagram 1,
by way of example. The chart shows
that, over the entire period of time, the
necessary steam requirement (blue) can
be covered by Boiler 1 alone (red, with
an output of 10 t/h). The frequent
additions of Boiler 2 (green) with the
temperature change stresses already
10
8
Steam volumes in t/h
0
11:00 11:29
Boiler 1
Nominal output 10 t/h
Diagram 1: Record of steam output in a boiler system with 2 steam generators without sequence control concept
mentioned under 2.1, are thus
completely superfluous.
In addition, the effect that the two
boilers have on each other is clearly
recognised. Whilst Boiler 1 (red) reduces
its output, Boiler 2 (green) increases
steam production and vice versa, i.e. the
boilers are working "against each other"
and are influencing each other. The
unimpeded transport of heat away from
the heating surfaces can no longer be
guaranteed.
A sequence control concept is therefore
advisable even for boiler systems with
two steam generators and is absolutely
essential if there are three or more
boilers in one boiler house.
The type of sequence control (addition
and disconnection of boilers as a
function of volume or pressure) used
will depend firstly on the number of
boilers and secondly on what pressure
fluctuations can be accepted on the
consumer side. With sequence controls
that are dependent on the volume of
11:59 12:29
Time
Boiler 2
Nominal output 6 t/h
steam, the viable pressure fluctuation
range can be kept much lower.
The following should also be noted:
· steam generators in multiboiler
systems must be hydraulically
separated from each other to prevent
them influencing each other (e.g.
using non-return valves)
· even at the planning stage, it should
be borne in mind that secondary
boilers must be fitted with a floor
heating coil in order to avoid
temperature layering of the boiler
water during the heat maintenance
phase. See also Point 3.2.
3. Effects of consumers
3.1 Frequent start-up from cold state
Starting up the system from the cold
state represents the greatest mechanical
load on the boiler body. (See "Cold
starting of shell boilers") The reason is
12:59
Total volume of steam
the greater temperature difference
between the flame tube and boiler shell
at the cold start compared with standard
operation at operating temperature. The
flame tube thrust (difference between
change in length of the boiler shell and
the flame tube) is higher during the start-
up process, which leads to considerable
additional strains which the boiler body
has to deal with. This problem is even
more acute if, during the start-up
procedure, steam bubbles cannot form
or can only form to a limited extent,
which is the case, for example, if the
steam removal valve is closed. The
natural circulation that normally exists in
the steam boiler (Figure 5) does not
occur, resulting in temperature layering
in the boiler (cold at the bottom, hot at
the top) with additional thermal stresses.
Figure 5: Diagram of the natural circulation within the boiler
In the case of very frequent cold starts,
these extreme changeover stresses can
lead to cracking of the material, or, in the
worst case, to complete failure of the
system.
The following should be noted if the
start-up load is to be reduced:
· start-up from cold state to operating
temperature with the smallest
possible burner load
· During the start-up procedure, a
small quantity of steam should always
be able to flow off in order to start
the natural circulation through
pushing up the steam bubbles.
· Ideally, the system should be fitted
with an automatic start-up switch,
which regulates burner operation and
load removal as a function of water
temperature and pressure so that
stresses are kept to a minimum
3.2 Long periods on stand-by
During heat maintenance or stand-by
operation (e.g. in multiboiler operation,
if the secondary boiler is not required),
the boiler cannot give off any steam.
Depending on the control concept,
either the steam removal valve is closed
or the secondary boiler is run at a lower
pressure than the prevailing network
pressure. The burners only switch on
sporadically in this operating mode, in
order to compensate losses from heat
conduction and radiation. If this state is
maintained over any length of time (> 3
days), temperature layering starts to
occur in the boiler. If bo ilers that are
kept warm in this way are then switched
to normal operation, the high operating
pressure (hot upper area) makes it seem
as if a boiler is available immediately.
The boiler control will then apply a high
burner load to this boiler in a very short
time if there is a corresponding
requirement. As a result of the
temperature layers in the boiler, extreme
thermal stresses will then occur, as
described in 3.1.
This can be prevented by the installation
of heat maintenance coils (Figure 6) in
the floor of the boiler. Steam heating of
this heating coil is from underneath,
which means that harmful temperature
layering in the boiler is reliably avoided.
To ensure that this solution can be
implemented, however, a multiboiler
system or a reliable supply of external
steam is essential.
3.3 Pressure fluctuations caused by
marked output fluctuations
With marked load changes, i.e. if load
changes occur quickly, resulting in
marked pressure fluctuations,
unfavourable flow states can occur in
the boiler. The steam bubble formation
that is necessary to remove heat from the
heat surfaces can slow down, or lead to
many smaller bubbles joining together
to form larger steam bubbles, which do
not separate immediately from the
heated surfaces and thus encourage local
overheating. For this reason, special
measures are required for boiler systems
which supply consumers with extremely
fluctuating loads, in order to limit the
pressure fluctuations in the boiler
independently of the consumer units.
This can be achieved, for example, by:
· Increased boiler safeguarding on the
pressure side and integration of a
reducer station between the boiler
and the consumers
· Integration of a steam accumulator
for load peaks
· A pressure maintenance device
downsteam of the boiler, with a
Figure 6: Diagram of a regulated floor heating coil
regulated steam removal valve, in
order to protect the boiler from
excessive pressure loss
4. Summary
The avoidable causes of boiler problems
listed here show that this is a very
complex topic. It stretches from
planning through construction and
setting to the operation of the boiler
systems. A conclusive discussion of all
the relevant problems is not possible
within this framework.
Because of the material complexity of
steam boiler systems, it is vital that the
following points are noted:
· Steam boiler systems should only be
planned by trained, experienced
specialists, since many possible
sources of problems can be avoided
at this early stage
· The quality of the boilers, burners
and boiler system components used
is of decisive importance if the
system is to run smoothly and
without breakdowns
· The correct installation of the system
requires a competent plant engineer
with a knowledge of the interaction
between the various boiler house
components
· Operation and support by the
operating staff are extremely
important and have a decisive effect
on the working life of the steam
boiler system
· A maintenance and teleservicing
contract with the boiler manufacturer
is always a major advantage
... for a future of quality
LOOS INTERNATIONAL
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